Category Archives: Middle East

In a story that did the rounds last week, the United Arab Emirates representative to the UN, Ahmed Awad, stormed out of a Universal Periodic Review (UPR) pre-session in Geneva after refusing to directly address criticisms made by civil society groups concerning the deteriorating human rights situation in the country. Introduced by the United Nations…

Status of Jerusalem The General Assembly, Reaffirming its relevant resolutions, including resolution 72/15 of 30 November 2017 on Jerusalem, Reaffirming also the relevant resolutions of the Security Council, including resolutions 242 (1967) of 22 November 1967, 252 (1968) of 21 May 1968, 267 (1969) of 3 July 1969, 298 (1971) of 25 September 1971, 338…

Now, Middle East Eye reports that one of MBS’s guests has reportedly died under torture rather than fork over his money and assets to his domineering relative. He was reportedly beaten and tortured so bad his family members had difficulty recognizing his body. Major general Ali Alqahtani, who was detained in early November as part…

In a story that did the rounds last week, the United Arab Emirates representative to the UN, Ahmed Awad, stormed out of a Universal Periodic Review (UPR) pre-session in Geneva after refusing to directly address criticisms made by civil society groups concerning the deteriorating human rights situation in the country. Introduced by the United Nations…

Al-Monitor December 12, 2017 One of Washington’s most powerful Middle East operators is fast becoming one of its most over-exposed. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has developed a sophisticated lobbying and public relations enterprise over the past decade that has helped position the oil-rich country as a key economic and counterterrorism partner for the…

Newsweek 12 December 2017 News of a covert agreement between the Syrian Democratic Forces and ISIS was first leaked last month after a BBC News investigation. The U.S.-led coalition denied being a party to any agreements, telling Newsweek it does not “make deals with terrorists,” but acknowledging that its partner had let convoys depart the…

Electronic Intifada 28April 2017 Key Israel lobby groups have conceded that they have failed to counter the Palestine solidarity movement, despite vastly increasing their spending. The admission is contained in a secret report that The Electronic Intifada has obtained. The report, published here in full for the first time, outlines Israel’s failure to stem…

Middle East Eye, 15 December 2017 A few lucky children will receive the wonderful new book, P is for Palestine: A Palestine Alphabet Book, this holiday season. Those whose parents have snoozed on placing their order will need to wait till spring of 2018, as the initial print run of 2,000 copies sold out within…

Middle East Eye 15 December 2017 JERUSALEM – Four Palestinians were killed with dozens reported injured during clashes between protesters and Israeli soldiers in the second Friday of protests against Trump’s move to recognise Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. The Palestinian health ministry confirmed in a statement that Yasser Sokhar, 31 and Ibrahim Abu Thuraya,…

An open letter signed by 47 Malaysian NGO’s recently was addressed at Donald Trumps, pertinently on his decision in recognizing Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. The letter describes the move as is in violation of international law and numerous United Nations Security Council and General Assembly Resolutions. The Palestinian territory occupied by Israel in the 1967…